Breadcrumbs ![12 Books To Add To Your Summer Reading List](https://media.sheerluxe.com/_EHM7vujZcEzP0EWh9BdVWHFRAk=/800x0/smart/https%3A%2F%2Fsheerluxe.com%2Fsites%2Fsheerluxe%2Ffiles%2Farticles%2F2026%2F07%2Fsl-gold-200726-site-assets-books-to-add-to-your-reading-list-hero-thumb.jpg) [Books & Podcasts](/culture/books-podcasts) / 20 July 2026 # 12 Books To Add To Your Summer Reading List Looking for your next great read? From hotly anticipated novels by some of the greatest writers out there to compelling non-fiction you won’t be able to put down, we’ve rounded up the best books that have recently hit the shelves – plus some new releases worth pre-ordering now… [ Save To My Favourites ](/user/login?destination=/markdownify/node/53307) All products on this page have been selected by our editorial team, however we may make commission on some products. [ ![](https://media.sheerluxe.com/nvfJjsTrjijLgimLZLicplR0oPY=/800x0/smart/https%3A%2F%2Fsheerluxe.com%2Fsites%2Fsheerluxe%2Ffiles%2Farticles%2F2026%2F07%2F4-strangers-belle-burden.png) ](https://amzn.to/4w9WFl2) ## *Strangers* by Belle Burden Some memoirs stay with you long after you've finished them and *Strangers* is one example. Expanding on her viral *New York Times* essay, Belle Burden recounts the devastating collapse of her seemingly happy 20-year marriage, asking how someone you've built a life with can become a stranger overnight. Written with remarkable honesty and emotional clarity, it's both a deeply personal story of heartbreak and a wider meditation on identity, resilience and starting again. Raw, beautifully observed and endlessly thought-provoking, this is the memoir everyone will be talking about this summer. Available [here](https://amzn.to/4w9WFl2) --- [ ![](https://media.sheerluxe.com/8v5ExZNdBvSIDuqqy6a4FTOHNkY=/800x0/smart/https%3A%2F%2Fsheerluxe.com%2Fsites%2Fsheerluxe%2Ffiles%2Farticles%2F2026%2F07%2F2-american-fantasy.png) ](https://amzn.to/3R9YIGq) ## *American Fantasy* by Emma Straub Emma Straub has built a reputation for writing warm, witty novels about love, family and fresh starts, and *American Fantasy* is no exception. Set aboard a nostalgia-fuelled cruise celebrating a 90s boyband, it follows newly divorced Annie as an impulsive getaway turns into an unexpected journey of self-discovery. Equal parts funny, heartfelt and gloriously escapist, the novel explores friendship, reinvention and the joy of embracing the things that once made you happiest. A smart, uplifting read that proves it's never too late to rewrite your story. Available [here](https://amzn.to/3R9YIGq) [ ![](https://media.sheerluxe.com/tUdRiDzEWZg4J3cmCd3jb4NmCdU=/800x0/smart/https%3A%2F%2Fsheerluxe.com%2Fsites%2Fsheerluxe%2Ffiles%2Farticles%2F2026%2F07%2F3-whistler.png) ](https://amzn.to/4faPV0d) ## *Whistler* by Ann Patchett Few authors write about family, memory and human connection with as much warmth and grace as Ann Patchett. In *Whistler*, the bestselling author of *Tom Lake* and *The Dutch House* tells the story of Daphne, whose chance encounter with the stepfather she hasn't seen in more than 40 years prompts a poignant reckoning with the past. Quietly profound and beautifully observed, the novel explores the enduring impact of the people who shape us, even if they're only in our lives for a short time. Tender, wise and deeply moving, this is Patchett at her very best – the kind of novel you'll want to savour rather than race through. Available [here](https://amzn.to/4faPV0d) --- [ ![](https://media.sheerluxe.com/Am-Wl1_1AEse0_vsb4dcc_bvnMY=/800x0/smart/https%3A%2F%2Fsheerluxe.com%2Fsites%2Fsheerluxe%2Ffiles%2Farticles%2F2026%2F07%2F1-all-in.png) ](https://amzn.to/4w43iVW) ## *All In* by Claire Powell If your ideal summer read combines razor-sharp family dynamics with a healthy dose of escapism, *All In* deserves a spot on your list. Set over the course of one sun-soaked weekend at a luxury all-inclusive resort, Claire Powell's second novel follows a couple whose long-awaited holiday quickly unravels as old resentments, grief and marital tensions bubble to the surface. Wry, emotionally astute and packed with brilliantly observed characters, it's the kind of book that balances laugh-out-loud moments with genuine poignancy. Fans of *The White Lotus* will race through it. Available [here](https://amzn.to/4w43iVW) --- [ ![](https://media.sheerluxe.com/2tLp-4dqWRaYd0F5f9t7Gv_RnlA=/800x0/smart/https%3A%2F%2Fsheerluxe.com%2Fsites%2Fsheerluxe%2Ffiles%2Farticles%2F2026%2F07%2F5-enough-said-alan-bennett.png) ](https://amzn.to/4bkSIkU) ## *Enough Said* by Alan Bennett Few writers capture the absurdities of everyday British life quite like Alan Bennett. In *Enough Said*, the much-loved author returns with a new collection of stories, diaries and reflections that showcase his trademark dry wit, gentle humour and razor-sharp observations. Touching on everything from ageing and politics to literature and the peculiarities of modern life, it's a characteristically intelligent and quietly moving read. Whether you're a longtime Bennett fan or discovering his work for the first time, this is the perfect book to dip in and out of whenever you're in the mood for something thoughtful, funny and impeccably written. Available [here](https://amzn.to/4bkSIkU) [ ![](https://media.sheerluxe.com/2CbMiahBGDzLOjgvjlEAfDIi6Gs=/800x0/smart/https%3A%2F%2Fsheerluxe.com%2Fsites%2Fsheerluxe%2Ffiles%2Farticles%2F2026%2F07%2F6-finding-grace.png) ](https://amzn.to/4ympFXU) ## *Finding Grace* by Loretta Rothschild If you missed one of last summer's most talked-about debuts, now's the perfect time to pick it up as *Finding Grace* arrives in paperback this month. Better yet, it's also the next read for the SheerLuxe Book Club, making now the ideal moment to join the conversation. Opening with a jaw-dropping twist that's best left undiscovered, Loretta Rothschild's novel is an emotionally rich exploration of love, loss and second chances, blending an addictive, page-turning plot with real emotional depth. Impossible to put down, it's the kind of book that lingers long after you've turned the final page – and one you'll definitely want to discuss afterwards. Available [here](https://amzn.to/4ympFXU) --- [ ![](https://media.sheerluxe.com/uH5bdQ-LlP0qZRXNMG0deIVfEyc=/800x0/smart/https%3A%2F%2Fsheerluxe.com%2Fsites%2Fsheerluxe%2Ffiles%2Farticles%2F2026%2F07%2F7-go-gentle.png) ](https://amzn.to/3RDVqLH) ## *Go Gentle* by Maria Semple More than a decade after *Where'd You Go, Bernadette* became a runaway hit, Maria Semple returns with a brilliantly offbeat new novel that's every bit as clever, funny and emotionally perceptive as fans would hope. Go Gentle follows a mother and daughter whose lives are thrown into disarray during a cross-country road trip, marrying family drama with Semple's signature wit and satirical eye. Smart, fast-paced and packed with eccentric characters, it's an uplifting exploration of reinvention, resilience and the wonderfully messy realities of family life. Available [here](https://amzn.to/3RDVqLH) --- [ ![](https://media.sheerluxe.com/nNL8VKx9bjHO3S6kXvF0wpW9rYs=/800x0/smart/https%3A%2F%2Fsheerluxe.com%2Fsites%2Fsheerluxe%2Ffiles%2Farticles%2F2026%2F07%2F8-london-falling.png) ](https://amzn.to/4phcGCN) ## *London Falling* by Patrick Radden Keefe Few writers turn real-life stories into page-turners quite like Patrick Radden Keefe. Following the success of *Empire of Pain* and *Say Nothing*, the New Yorker writer’s latest investigation unpicks the mysterious death of a London teenager whose secret double life led him into the orbit of gangsters, vast wealth and the city's murkiest underworld. What begins as one family's search for answers becomes a gripping examination of money, power and corruption in modern London. Meticulously researched yet impossible to put down, this is narrative non-fiction at its very best – and essential reading for anyone who loves true crime with depth, humanity and literary flair. Available [here](https://amzn.to/4phcGCN) [ ![](https://media.sheerluxe.com/XFF-0awool9o5VzHr7ib5ANrWHA=/800x0/smart/https%3A%2F%2Fsheerluxe.com%2Fsites%2Fsheerluxe%2Ffiles%2Farticles%2F2026%2F07%2F9-sophie-standing-there.png) ](https://amzn.to/4vutPKS) ## *Sophie, Standing There* by Meg Mason If you only pre-order one book this season, make it this. Five years after *Sorrow and Bliss* became a word-of-mouth phenomenon, Meg Mason returns with what promises to be another deeply moving, sharply funny exploration of love, loneliness and the ties that bind us. This time, she follows Sophie, a woman who finds unexpected solace in the work of a beloved author, setting her on a journey that's both quietly transformative and profoundly relatable. Warm, witty and emotionally astute, it's already generating plenty of early buzz ahead of its August publication. Available [here](https://amzn.to/4vutPKS) --- [ ![](https://media.sheerluxe.com/5vuyglz_xCpUq_3XrCQsu31CRsg=/800x0/smart/https%3A%2F%2Fsheerluxe.com%2Fsites%2Fsheerluxe%2Ffiles%2Farticles%2F2026%2F07%2F10-people-in-love.png) ](https://amzn.to/3RedJ9Z) ## *People In Love* by Claire Daverley Claire Daverley's debut, *Talking at Night*, was one of the standout literary love stories of recent years, and *People in Love* looks set to cement her reputation as one of the most exciting voices in contemporary fiction. When Nora's childhood best friend reappears just as she's preparing to marry the man she's built a life with, she's forced to confront the question of whether it's ever possible to leave the past behind. Tender, emotionally intelligent and beautifully observed, this is a nuanced exploration of first love, timing and the lives we imagine for ourselves. Expect exquisite prose, plenty of yearning and a story that will stay with you long after the final page. Available [here](https://amzn.to/3RedJ9Z) --- [ ![](https://media.sheerluxe.com/_2uUVZ4yGWHyfhzt6ICrE1auJ_Q=/800x0/smart/https%3A%2F%2Fsheerluxe.com%2Fsites%2Fsheerluxe%2Ffiles%2Farticles%2F2026%2F07%2F11-the-news-from-dublin.png) ](https://amzn.to/3TAcuTi) ## *The News From Dublin* by Colm Tóibín Fresh from the success of *Long Island*, Colm Tóibín returns to the short story form with a beautifully crafted new collection that explores the quiet moments that shape a life. Spanning Ireland, Spain, Argentina and the US, *The News from Dublin* brings together a cast of unforgettable characters grappling with grief, exile, family and the idea of home. Written with Tóibín's trademark restraint and emotional precision, each story lingers long after it's finished, proving that few contemporary writers capture the complexities of human relationships with such subtlety. Available [here](https://amzn.to/3TAcuTi) [ ![](https://media.sheerluxe.com/zUIo6UmDibOd6lU4Jb_oak_gToM=/800x0/smart/https%3A%2F%2Fsheerluxe.com%2Fsites%2Fsheerluxe%2Ffiles%2Farticles%2F2026%2F07%2F12-villa-coco.png) ](https://amzn.to/4vvnajx) ## *Villa Coco* by Andrew Sean Greer If you're craving pure escapism, *Villa Coco* delivers. From the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of *Less*, this sun-drenched novel transports readers to the Tuscan hills, where a directionless young archivist takes a job assisting the formidable 92-year-old Baronessa Coco at her crumbling villa. What follows is an eccentric tale of art, friendship, romance and reinvention, populated by an unforgettable cast of aristocrats, artists and larger-than-life characters. Warm, witty and full of heart, it's the sort of novel that feels like a holiday between hard covers – perfect for anyone dreaming of la dolce vita this summer. 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